The Year of the Washington Power Grab

In ObamaWorld, winners and losers are chosen by the federal government.

By

Kimberley A. Strassel

Jan. 2, 2014 7:02 p.m. ET

This past year will be remembered for many things, but let 2013 be hailed mainly for this: It was the year that the genius of George Orwell's "Animal Farm" became clear in America. Efforts to centralize control in the name of "fairness" have led to a society that is ever more at the mercy of a federal power—one that decides who does and does not succeed. The winners are favored special interests, political cronies and wealthy lobbyists. The losers are everyone else.